Locking device for crate-lids and the like.



A. P. HONEY. LOOKING DEVICE FOR CRATE LIDS AND THE LIKE.

AIPLIOATION FILED APR. 29, 1911'.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

z w m 0 w 3 ARCHIE IE. HONEY, OF SALEM, MISSOURI.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR CRATE-LIBS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1911.

Application filed April 29, 1911. 'serial No. 624,142.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARCHIE P. HONEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Salem, in the county of Dent and State of Missouri, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices forGrate-Lids and the Like, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in lids for boxes,crates and the like and more particularly to a locking device therefor,and my object is to provide a device of this character which willeffectively lock the lid to a box, whereby the same may be readily andeasily removed when desired.

A further object of the invention resides in providing sliding boltshaving clips on the ends thereof adapted to engage lugs on the box orcrate ends, and a still further object resides in providing a lever towhich said sliding bolts are pivoted. Still another object of theinvention is to provide means to retain said lever in its effectivelocking position, and a further object of the invention is to providemeans to limit the movement of said lever.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in thespecification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, Figure 1is a top plan view of the device showing the sliding bolts in theirineffective positions. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section as seenon line 22, Fig. 1, showing the sliding bolts in their effective lockedpositions, and, Fig. 3 is an inverted detail perspective of one of thecleats secured on the lid.

In carrying out my invention, I shall refer to the drawing in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 indicates a box or crate of the usualor any preferred. type, I having shown the type of crate used inshipping eggs, and said crate is provided on the end walls thereof attheir upper edges with the flanges or elongated lugs 2 and 3, which lugsmay be formed integral with said ends or secured thereto in any desiredmanner.

- The lid 4: is provided of a length substantially equal to the distancebetween the outer faces of the flanges 2 and 3, and the upper face ofsaid lid is provided at the ends thereof with the flanges or cleats 5and 6, these cleats being either formed integral with said lid orsecured thereto, as desired, the latter being preferable. The cleats 5and 6 have their bottom faces provided about centrally with the grooves7 and 8, respectively, through which are adapted to extend, the slidinglocking bolts or rods 9 and 10. The bolt 9 is of a shorter length thanthe bolt 10 and each has the outer end thereof, beyond the cleat at theend of the lid, bent downwardly and inwardly to form a locking clip 11,the distance between the inwardly bent portion of the clip and the bodyportion of the bolt being substantially equal to the distance betweenthe bottom face of one of the flanges 2 or 3 and the upper face of thelid 4:. The bolt 10 also extends through a keeper or the like 12 mountedon said lid, and both of said bolts have their inner ends pivotallymounted a short distance from one another to one end of a lever 13.

As just stated, the pivot points of the two rods 9 and 10 are a shortdistance from'one another adjacent the end of the lever, and in view ofthis fact, it will be seen that as said lever is swung in one direction,said rods will be thrown inwardly, thereby forcing the clips at the endsthereof into locking engagement with the flanges 2 and 3, and when movedin the other direction, said bolts will be forced outwardly and move thelocking clips thereof out of engagement with said flanges. This lever 18which is formed of spring metal, has the outer end thereof bent slightlyupwardly, and when the same is moved in a position to lock the clips ofthe rods 9 and 10 into engagement with the flanges, said lever isadapted to be in substantial alinement with both of said bolts 9 and 10,but the lever in such position is of greater length than the distancebetween its pivot point and the inner face of the flange 5, so that somemeans must be provided to accommodate the same. To this extent, theunder face of the cleat 5 on one side of the groove therein is cut awayor beveled upwardly, as shown at 14, so that the end of said lever whenmoved in its arcuate path to lock the ends of the rods, may be receivedthereby, and when said lever is moved so as to be in substantialalinement with the bolts, the same will spring into the groove ofsaidcleat 5 and be locked therein between the side walls of the same. Thus,to release the locking clips from their effective position in engagementwith the flanges 2 and 3, pressure must be placed upon the bulgedportion of the lever and an outward movement given the same to allow thesame to be removed from its locked position with the cleat It will beseen, however, that the one wall of the groove in the cleat 5 will limitthe movement of said lever in one direction and the keeper 12 will limitthe same in the opposite direction, thereby retaining said lever inposition to be operated at all times. It will further be seen that whensaid lever is moved in one direction, the locking clips will positivelyand effectively engage the flanges of the crate or box, and when saidlever is sprung beneath the cavity in the one cleat and into the groovetherein, the lid will remain locked to the crate until such time as saidlever is released from its locked position.

It is a well known fact that in crates in use at present, the lids arenot capable of being used more than once or twice, in view of the factthat the same are usually nailed to the body portion of the crate, andin removing the same, both the crate proper and said lid areconsiderably damaged, but it will be seen that in my improved lockingdevice, the lid may be readily and quickly applied to use with littlelabor or time being involved, and furthermore, the same is adapted foruse as long as the crate proper is in condition. It will still furtherbe seen that this device is of such simple construction as to be readilyand cheaply manufactured, thereby making the same practicallyinexpensive to the retail purchaser and one which is extremely effectiveand useful in operation.

What I claim is 1. In a locking device of the class described, thecombination with a receptacle having flanges on the outer faces of theend walls thereof and a lid for the receptacle; of a pair of slidingbolts mounted on the upper face of said lid provided with clips at theouter ends thereof, and a lever to which the inner ends of said boltsare pivoted, to draw said clips into effective engagement with saidflanges.

2. In a locking device of the class described, the combination with areceptacle having flanges on the outer faces of the end walls thereofand a lid for the receptacle; of a pair of sliding bolts mounted on theupper face of said lid, locking clips formed on the outer ends of saidbolts, a lever pivotally engaged with the inner ends of said bolts, todraw the locking clips into effective engagement with the flanges, andmeans on the lid for retaining the lever when the clips are in theireffective positions.

3. In a locking device of the class described, the combination with areceptacle having flanges on the outer faces of the end walls thereofand a lid for the receptacle, said lid being provided with cleatsimmediately adjacent the ends thereof; of a pair of bolts slidablydisposed through the cleats of said lid, locking clips formed on thefree ends of said bolt-s, a lever to one end of which is pivotallyengaged the inner ends of said bolts, and means formed on one of saidcleats to retain said lever when the same has been moved into itseffective looking position.

4'.- In a locking device of the class described, the combination with areceptacle having flanges formed on the outer faces of the end wallsthereof, a lid for the re ceptacle, and cleats on the upper face of saidlid immediately adjacent the ends thereof, said cleats being providedwith alining grooves; of a pair of bolts slidably mounted through thegrooves of said cleats, locking clips formed on the outer ends of saidbolts, a lever having separate pivotal connection with the inner ends ofsaid bolts to force the clips into engagement with the flanges when saidlever is moved in one direction, and means on one of said cleats toretain said lever in its effective position.

5. In a locking device of the class described, the combination with areceptacle having flanges formed on the outer faces of the end wallsthereof, a lid for the receptacle, cleats secured to the upper face ofsaid lid immediately adjacent the ends thereof, said cleats beingprovided with alining grooves; of a pair of bolts slidably disposedthrough the grooves in said cleats and having locking clips formed onthe outer ends thereof, one of said bolts being of greater length thanthe other, a lever having separate pivotal connection with the innerends of said bolts, and means on the cleat of the lid through which theshorter bolt extends, for receiving the free end of said lever whenmoved to its effective position.

6. In a locking device of the class described, the combination with areceptacle having flanges formed on the out-er faces of the end wallsthereof, a lid for the receptacle, cleats secured to the upper face ofthe lid immediately adjacent the ends thereof, each of the last referredto cleats having the bottom face thereof provided with a channel and oneof said cleats having a portion of its under face beveled on one side ofthe channel; of a pair of bolts slidably disposed through the channelsof said cleats and having locking clips formed on the outer endsthereof, and a lever having separate pivotal connectlon with the innerends of said bolts to draw said clips into effective engagement with theflanges of the end walls, the beveled portion of the one cleat beingadapted to receive thereunder the free end of said lever When the sameis moved into its effective position.

7. In a locking device of the class described, the combination with areceptacle having flanges on the outer faces of the end walls thereof, alid for the receptacle having cleats on the upper face thereofimmediately adjacent its end, said cleats being provided with alininggrooves; of a pair of bolts slidably disposed through the grooves ofsaid cleats and having clips formed on the outer ends thereof, one ofsaid bolts being of greater length than the Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

other, a lever having separate pivotal connection with the inner ends ofsaid bolts to draw the clips into effective engagement with the flangesof the end walls, means on one of the cleats to retain said lever in itseffective position and a keeper on the lid through which the longer boltextends, said keeper being also adapted to limit the movement of thelever in one direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

ARCHIE P. HONEY.

Witnesses:

I. A. YOUNG, THOS. A. BRUCE.

Washington, D. C.

